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Hughes and Kettner Switchblade 50 Watt TSC Combo Tweek recomendation..


Tiki Love God

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I play in a covers band and have just got the Switchblade because it seems like an amp that can do it all well sort of amp. I know that there are other amps that can do a great clean, or a great Crunch sound, or a great lead sound but there are not that many amps out there that can cover all bases and allow you to set up sounds at different levels for the parts you need in each song. For that it does get a 10.

The only thing I feel is that it needs a little warming up in the Tube and most probably a Speaker replacement (please don't suggest a Vintage 30, these only sound acceptable in a 4 x 12, other than that they sound too focused and basically crap) I was thinking of a G12H anniversary or a Classic Lead 80. I don't want a speaker that will break up too early or will be too shrill. I have a G12-65 in another combo and love the lead tone but for heavy rythm it just sounds horrible.

Also any valve recomendations, pre-amp especially as that is where the distortion is generated.

A few further comments on this amp.

I may have a newer moddle but the Midi Floorboard seems pretty good (touch wood!)
The TSC should make this a lifesaver at gigs as max 5 mins and a new set of power tubes can be in and running without any BIAS worries
There are comments about a diode being used to boost the pre-amp section but is that not basically what a Distortion pedal does?
Just because there are digital effects in there should not detract from this being an all tube amp. If you run a line 6 in the loop of any other amp that = the same thing, maybe worse as the FX in the switchblase are in parallel so the tone stays tru.
There is a hum reduction circuit on the back which can be used to reduce the hum once you change valves, so far I have found this better than my old Blackstar series one 45 combo which had no bottom end/low mids at all. Talk about thin sounding.
Finally when tweeking tones I have found it better to start with the knobs around 9am and the adjust from there. They are very interactive and work Bass, Middle, Trebble and then Presence as I find high gain has a tendancy to get ugle pretty fast.
You also find that a better tone means that sometimes you don't need as much gain as you think. Listen to most albums out there and you would be surprised to hear how much clearer the guitar tone is, the key to the sound is getting the power section to cook a bit and put more body in the tone.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated..thumb.gif

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Those are decent choices for speakers. My cab has the older gb's in it so I dial mine up a bit different than a standard v30 etc. Minimize treble on each ch when you crank the amp up. Set presence as needed. I use Les Paul's so I keep both about mid way.

Tubes stock are fine, but you can try the Tung Sol's (preamp) since many using the SB like those best. This is a hybrid amp so some of the preamp drives are within the digital stage.

I use mine a ton for covers and this amp works for any era of rock tunes.

Balancing the dirt sounds against the clean is the tricky part, plus there are many independent volume and gain adj plus the master. Set the amp at volume (or as close to) you would play on stage for best results. Don't adjust at bedroom levels and expect to just run the master.. gain of other ch's will be all over the place.

Set master
Define Clean level
Set Crunch and Lead levels close to clean ch.
Boost master when needed.

Remember to press the store button and save to the location on your foot controller.

I store three banks of presets. First bank is Clean/Crunch for older stuff like beatles and stones tunes. Second bank is for Classic stuff/80's rock (Marshall type tone heavy on the fx). Third bank is Modern Rock/metal.

Each bank config for Clean, OD, Med gain, High gain/ Boost.

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Thanks for the reply, first practice with it will test its tone. looking forward to really opening it up. Still niggling if i should have got the Egnater Renegade but I do like the switchblade and get the feeling that there is something in there that I need to bring out. Can only tell when playing in a band situation.

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Quote Originally Posted by HKSblade1 View Post
Those are decent choices for speakers. My cab has the older gb's in it so I dial mine up a bit different than a standard v30 etc. Minimize treble on each ch when you crank the amp up. Set presence as needed. I use Les Paul's so I keep both about mid way.

Tubes stock are fine, but you can try the Tung Sol's (preamp) since many using the SB like those best. This is a hybrid amp so some of the preamp drives are within the digital stage.

I use mine a ton for covers and this amp works for any era of rock tunes.

Balancing the dirt sounds against the clean is the tricky part, plus there are many independent volume and gain adj plus the master. Set the amp at volume (or as close to) you would play on stage for best results. Don't adjust at bedroom levels and expect to just run the master.. gain of other ch's will be all over the place.

Set master
Define Clean level Set Crunch and Lead levels close to clean ch.

Boost master when needed.

Remember to press the store button and save to the location on your foot controller.

I store three banks of presets. First bank is Clean/Crunch for older stuff like beatles and stones tunes. Second bank is for Classic stuff/80's rock (Marshall type tone heavy on the fx). Third bank is Modern Rock/metal.

Each bank config for Clean, OD, Med gain, High gain/ Boost.


That part in big red?.....That part is crucial for anything you use and do (genre-wise)...if you use clean that is. Wether you have a 2 channel Crate or Axe-FX....always set up your clean first, and dial in the rest of the tones to it. Very important for things like Switchblade or any multi-preamp/FX. Sometimes it can be a bit of a compromise...as your OD can sound just a little better with just a little more gain/volume. But then you go back to the clean and you either have no headroom or it's suddenly not very clean.

Nice post 'blade!
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Hi,
I saw this post and had to jump in. Its been about 2 months that you've had the amp...did you get it to warm up? I am considering buying the same amp ( a 50 watt SB combo)...and I'm not sure, because I can't hear this amp anywhere!!! Also, can you get a really good clean sound? Some say its always a lil crunchy. Iplay in a cover band and like my big rig but its such a hassle moving it around. So a 50 watt tube amp with presets would be a God-send.
So: after 2months of use..does it cut it??????????????????????

GtrGeorge

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Owwwwwwwwww......
sounds like Fyn hated this amp. I hope my ears like it better..I ordered one used from GC. The said I could return it if it really sucks. I hope I don't have to.

But Tiki....you owned it...what do you think, now that you've had it for a while?
Ever get a good clean sound? Do the Fx spillover when you change a preset? Is it a do-able live amp in a good cover band???
GtrGeorge

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I have one, and I love the amp...through a different speaker lol. I put an Eminence Wizard in my combo in mine and it sounded better. I also have the head and it sounds great through my oversized Mesa 2x12. The amp works great for cover bands, and sounds better with Mesa tubes in it. I still use the combo for smaller gigs. I never got a good fat low gain sound out of it though, and the clean is a bit sterile without the fx. A little chorus and reverb though, and I got a good sound out of it.

if you have the footswitch where the cable is attached, you'll have problems. There's too much extra wire in the tip that eventually starts touching each other and grounding your signal out.

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Bishop, thanks for the input..
so far so good, for me. Is it THE best amp Ive owned..not really..but it is quite usable. I do like the very clean clean-sound..other feel its to sterile but I like that (call me weird). The dirt sounds I am still tweaking. I do feel the I could improve this with a bterr or different speaker. ..When I run extension cabs I like the sound better. So Maybe I will just take that speaker and put it in my combo. And Tube changes, if that doesnt make it better.
It isnrt bad, and for the price I am not sure there is a better gig amp out there. I am dissapointed in the competition. Its 2011 and there are so few combo amps that are affordable and allow a pro musician to play a gig (like I do)..in a reasonable way (quick set-up time, fx on board, tubes, reasoanable weight etc).
What speakers do you recommend? Do you think there are any good mods for this amp?
GtrGeorge

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Guitar Billy,
thanks for the post...
yeah its a complex circuit..but luckily a few parts can be tweaked (tubes,speakers). I still like my Switchblade..but I wish It was all tube..there is a teeny tiny amount of Solid State going on...and sometimes I hear that and Im not into it. But it does alot well, and its portable..so its got that going for it. I think H/K could improve it a bit and then it would be KILLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GtrGeorge

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Bishop I dont know if the coreblade does this.....in fact, I thought the little light came on to let you know you just passed your previous setting (the one you have saved into memory). No matter, its a good amp....and if it had a little more tubeness to it..I'd be 100% happy. As is, it is certainly good enough..and I am very picky about my live sounds. If you see any of the videos of me playing (since Oct 2011) its the H/K switchblade getting heard. (See youtube HolidayRoad,Long Islands Favorite Cover band). Or just go to reverbnation.com/holidayroad or myspace.com/georgebarrysolo
Rock on...

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The "original value" light on the left of the amp is what lights up right as the knob hits the value you saved on the preset. According to the manual when the "boost" light comes on, it boosts certain frequencies yadda yadda... I've noticed that it always seems to sound better without the boost. I read somewhere that the boost is the diode kicking in. As long as it works for you, you're golden.

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Bishop, thanks for the reply..this makes alot of sense,,,because I dont like it when the tone gets that oomph..its not an organic sound to my ears. Its grainy..most likely it IS Diode distortion. I like tube distortion much better. So I'll just back it off and not kick that in. With that...I still will have a bunch of good Rock tones to work with. Its a good amp, and I am getting better with knowing how to use it.
Thanks again
GtrGeorge

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Quote Originally Posted by GtrGeorge! View Post
Bishop, thanks for the reply..this makes alot of sense,,,because I dont like it when the tone gets that oomph..its not an organic sound to my ears. Its grainy..most likely it IS Diode distortion. I like tube distortion much better. So I'll just back it off and not kick that in. With that...I still will have a bunch of good Rock tones to work with. Its a good amp, and I am getting better with knowing how to use it.
Thanks again
GtrGeorge
You're welcome.
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